Unrequited Love
by Dream1n9big
Summary: One shot: Post-Roadrunners, Doggett learns of Scully's secret the hard way.


**Unfortunately, I do not own these fantabulous characters. :(**

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Scully looked up from the file she was reading as Doggett entered the basement office they now shared. "Good morning, Agent Doggett," she said in a much lighter tone than usual. Ever since he had saved her from that crazy desert town and the spine-tingling parasite, she had felt more comfortable with him around. She didn't see him as a threat or a replacement – just another agent ready and willing to do his job no matter what the circumstance.

"Agent Scully, how many times have I told you, you can call me John."

"And how many times, John, have I told you that you can call me Dana?" She smirked and raised a single eyebrow at him, the look of pure teasing that Doggett had immediately fallen in love with. It had come as a surprise the first time he saw it. Scully seemed a very serious individual, all about work, with her paranormal theories she most certainly got from working with Mulder for so many years and her scientific explanations that caused her to second guess herself. She was a very unique person, and her versatility was quite alluring. He chuckled and settled himself behind his new desk.

"So, what's our newest case, DANA?" Doggett said, emphasizing her name in amusement. He couldn't help it. For the first couple of weeks he had known her, she had seemed put off, distant, and he knew it was because of Mulder's absence. She and Mulder had been partners for years. He respected that, but he also wanted to make her smile as often as possible, maybe help her forget for awhile the tragic life she was living. And for his own sake, because he found that smile to be the most illuminating thing he'd ever seen – much brighter than the sun and absolutely adorable the way it danced up her cheeks and made her eyes laugh.

His mind snapped back when he realized she was speaking. She was going on about some murder case in Illinois, but all he could think about was how naturally beautiful she was – her skin was unblemished, her eyes aligned perfectly with her nose and mouth, and her lips had a perfect fullness. The best thing about her, though, was that she didn't seem to know how beautiful she was. He noticed she always took compliments with a shy, embarrassed smile that made her high cheekbones flush, and her hair and nails were always immaculate as if trying to build her self-esteem. He had the sudden urge to kiss her, which he knew was outrageous, but for some reason he couldn't get the idea out of his head.

Scully continued with the overview of the case, citing specific details she thought were important, but halfway through she noticed Doggett didn't seem to be listening anymore. His brow was slightly furrowed, forcing the invisible lines in his forehead to make an appearance. His startling blue eyes seemed out of focus, lost in their own world of God knows what. If it had been Mulder she could have made quite a few good guesses as to what was causing his distraction, but this wasn't Mulder. Mulder had been gone for over two months, and as much as she hated to admit it, her hopes of finding him alive were slowly dwindling. Doggett seemed so deep in thought that she was afraid to interrupt, but her curiosity got the best of her.

"Agent Doggett?" she said quietly, just loud enough to break his concentration. "Are you okay?"

Doggett jumped ever-so-lightly when he realized she was no longer speaking but looking directly at him with a concerned face. He cleared his throat. "John, Dana…John," he said as he shifted in his chair. "I was just, um, thinking about that last case you investigated." The pained look in her eyes made him regret bringing it back up, but he couldn't tell her what he was really thinking.

"And what exactly were you thinking about?" she asked, trying to hide the anguish in her voice, but failing miserably. She studied his face as he struggled to come up with an answer. She could see her own emotions reflected back in his eyes. She felt drawn in by this connection, and she instantly wanted to tell him everything, all the secrets she had ever kept hidden, all the lies she'd ever told. She wanted to release all of the feelings she'd ever held in, but she remained silent, never dropping her gaze from his eyes.

"Dana, I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bring that up." One look at his face and anyone could have known he was being sincere. He was brutally honest, and she found that very reassuring.

"No, it's okay. I'm fine." She always resorted to that answer. It made her feel safe. It gave off the impression that even if she wasn't fine, she didn't want to talk about it.

Doggett looked away, cursing himself under his breath as Scully sat back in her chair and closed her eyes. The two sat in silence for a couple of minutes until the phone rang. They were both so startled that it took a few seconds to regain composure. When they did, they reached for it at the same time.

"I'm sorry, go ahead," Doggett said, retreating and gesturing toward the phone. Scully picked it up without taking her eyes off of him.

"Hello…yes, sir. Yes, sir...Good bye, sir." She hung up the phone and took a step toward Doggett. "Skinner wants us in his office right away." As he stood, she couldn't help noticing how strong his arms were. In fact, she knew how strong they were. They had carried her petite body away when she didn't even have the strength to stand. They had freed her of that horrid parasite that had ravaged her body. She suddenly felt those very hands on her shoulders and looked up to find Doggett eyeing her.

"Dana, are you sure you're okay?" His eyes were so blue and so full of concern. She felt like a child, weak and terrified, and yet she didn't know why. She quickly looked away as tears started to form in her eyes for no apparent reason. Tucking his finger under her chin, Doggett slowly turned her head back to face him. Before the tear dangling from her eyelashes could fall, Doggett had leaned down and kissed her. The union of their lips only slightly startled Scully, and she found herself kissing him back. His hand had made its way to the base of her neck, ready to pull her closer. It slid across smooth, delicate skin until it caught a rough patch – a tiny vertical line about an inch long. She noticed too and broke the kiss so fast she almost fell backward. She probably would have if he hadn't been holding onto her.

"Dana…" he started, but she cut him off.

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" she trailed off as her hand rubbed the back of her neck self-consciously. "It's just…"

"You don't have to explain anything to me. I understand. "

"No…I mean yes. Yes I do. Because if I've led you on in anyway, I'm sorry. It's just that Mulder..." her voice broke mid-sentence. Doggett stood and waited patiently for her to regain her composure. She continued, her voice shaking slightly, "There's something you don't know. And perhaps you should." The look in her eyes was one of mixed pain and joy. Doggett didn't know what to expect, but what she said next floored him. She looked up and straight into his eyes, and without missing a beat, she whispered, "I'm pregnant."

The silence was deafening. The look of utter regret and guilt that Doggett displayed made Scully's heart ache. She didn't want him to feel bad. It wasn't his fault – he didn't know. And she had kissed him back. What did that say about her?

"John, I'm sorry…I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I didn't know if I could trust you." She looked away, ashamed. She could feel the pressure of the tears building up again, and she kept willing herself not to cry. She tensed when Doggett reached for her, but relaxed when he simply pulled her into a hug. She let the tears fall freely as she buried her head in his shoulder. When she had stopped, she pulled away and brushed the tears from her eyes, only slightly embarrassed.

Doggett, clearly uncomfortable, tried lightening the mood. "Want to see what the big man upstairs wants?" He grinned as he put his hand on the small of her back and led her toward the door. It was a grin of compassion, companionship, and longing – a grin that masked so many emotions that he thought if he quit grinning he would dissolve in a pile of feelings, and he couldn't let that happen. He had to be strong – for himself, for Scully, even for the baby he now knew she was carrying. Even if Scully would never be his, his love for her made him promise himself that from that day forward he would do everything in his power to keep her safe. He wouldn't let her down.

"I hope you mean Skinner and not THE big man upstairs," she sniffled in response, "because I'm not sure if I want to know about the latter." She smiled to herself as her hand reached subconsciously for her stomach. This child will be well protected, she thought, sneaking a sideways glance at Doggett before looking down again. Doggett was a man of integrity, and she knew that he would do anything in his power to help her. That's just who he was, and she was suddenly very grateful to have someone as moral and kind working alongside her while Mulder was away.

Doggett chuckled at the way she could bounce back from anything. For being so tiny, she was the fiercest woman he knew, not to mention the smartest. He admired the way she handled herself in all situations. She didn't let much get to her, and when she did, she would only allow herself to feel pity for a few minutes before she was back to her steadfast self. As they reached the elevator he stood looking down at her, smiling to himself. Dana Scully, medical doctor turned FBI agent, was going to make a great mother.

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